LG's 2004 phone blitz

LG is hoping to repeat fellow Koreans Samsung’s success in the UK mobile phone market by launching a huge range of new handsets next year. It will include a 3G handset the U8100 (click here for more) a version of the Windows smartphone (pictured above) that instead will use the Symbian operating system (the same as the Sony Ericsson P900 and Nokia 6600) and a rash of GPRS models.

Due first in February is a revamp of its G7100 camera phone, the G7200. It keeps its predecessors’ clamshell design and rotating display, but features a 262K colour screen (the first of its kind in the UK as the current standard is 65K) and video capture, download and playback.

It will be followed in spring by the company’s GT phone – its first handset to feature a camera capable of taking mega pixels images. The phone is a clamshell design with an integrated aerial. Its mains screen has 176×220 pixels resolution and 256K colours. Other features include moving image capture, instant messaging and pair of stereo speakers to make the most of its range of 40 polyphonic ringtones.

Scheduled to launch around the same time are the GS2 (a clamshell budget camera phone) and the GS3 (a candy bar style camera phone).

At the end of the year the company will debut the GF, which has a flip up design reminiscent of Siemen’s popular SL55. The handset will also feature MPEG4 video and AAC audio playback, moving image capture and a VGA camera phone.

LG is also set to launch a Symbian based version of the SC8000, its Windows based smartphone that is currently available in Korea.